Cotten personified a particular kind of midcentury leading man: a sharp jaw; a deep, somewhat aloof voice; a tough, unsmiling stare; and the distinct sense that he might be packing a loaded gun. It was a model that would pave the way for the likes of Paul Newman, Warren Beatty, Clint Eastwood—men's men, as tough as they were suave. Not to mention Cotten's proud self-confidence in his own appearance (he'd have his suits custom-made without side pockets to accentuate his tall, slim frame). On-screen and off, he favored dark, narrow suits and wide-brimmed fedoras—the classic uniform for the 1940s noir hero—and stuck with them well into the ̓50s and ̓60s. It was a look he trusted, as he trusted himself. You could argue that they don't make ̓em like that anymore.—SARAH GELLER

* You can never go wrong with a well-fitting dark suit. But the crucial element of the look is one you can't buy: confidence.